Teen Sensation: Diego Dedura-Palomero Wins First ATP Match

German teenager Diego Dedura-Palomero makes history with his first ATP win, defeating Denis Shapovalov in Munich Open.

Diego Dedura-Palomero, a 17-year-old German teenager, benefited from Gael Monfils' withdrawal to enter the Munich Open as a lucky loser. He seized the opportunity, defeating Denis Shapovalov in the first round after the Canadian retired injured while trailing 7-6(2) 3-0.

Diego Dedura-Palomero made history - and the celebrations were huge 😅

He became the first player born in 2008 to win a match on the ATP Tour after Denis Shapovalov retired due to illness 🤒 pic.twitter.com/fzfliecD4J

— BBC Sport (@BBCSport) April 16, 2025

Dedura-Palomero's victory marked a milestone, making him the first player born in 2008 to win a main-draw match on the ATP Tour. The teenager credited a conversation with Gael Monfils for helping him stay calm ahead of his debut match. He said, “I was struggling all these years and I just got the wildcard for qualifying.”

Diego Dedura-Palomero's fortunes changed when Gael Monfils pulled out, allowing him to enter the Munich Open as a lucky loser. “I won against Mackenzie McDonald and lost against Alexander Bublik. I had bad luck because there were three lucky losers who got in and I was the fourth one. I was waiting the whole day on Monday and then Monfils pulled out. He hugged me and he was so nice.”

Remember the name 🇩🇪💫

Diego Dedura-Palomero (👉) is the 1st player born in 2008 to compete on the ATP Tour

📸@BMWOpen500 | #BMWOpen pic.twitter.com/Vl7eZZ4sHI

— ATP Tour (@atptour) April 15, 2025

As Dedura-Palomero played against Denis Shapovalov, he gained confidence. “I went in and told myself to have fun, go with the crowd and play my best.” He added, “You go over it in your mind. What happens if you win? Then I was focused all the time and tried to hold serve in the first set.”

Dedura-Palomero won the match after Shapovalov retired, saying, “In the tie-break he got tight ... I tried to put the ball in and move him and fight for every point. In the end, I was just super happy.” He'll face Zizou Bergs in the next round.